Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-28
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In many countries today, crime novels and TV crime dramas are becoming more and more popular. Why do you think these books and TV shows are popular? What is your opinion of crime fiction and TV crime dramas?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
It is undeniable that crime is increasing, and it has become a problem for everyone. Because of that, some people are denied going out at night. In many countries, novels and dramas are becoming more famous for the reason of raising in crime. But in my opinion, the popularity of watching dramas and novels has many reasons, which I can share and why they have become trendy.
Firstly, people are seeing more crime dramas and novels due to more crime; these thrillers show how people commit crimes and how they can protect themselves from these kinds of things. Secondly, some people like to know what kind of crime happened and how they can get more knowledge about those things; for this reason, they watch dramas or read novels.
On the other hand, I think that kind of dramas makes problems in this generation because of that some people are doing crime, like in some dramas of novel shows how they can steal something for their necessary things but; because of that, thieves learn the technique how they can get money or anything they want. For example, I just recently saw a movie named Players. In that movie, they saw how they stole gold from another actor, and they got the gold, and they also got everything, and after that, they enjoyed achieving this. So some people risk their lives to watch that kind of scene. Crime has so many types, and they saw because of the entertainment and for thrill, but it has some negative impact on other people as well.
I would like to conclude that it has some advantages to watch and why people are watching more, but it also has some negativity, so people do not need to read too many things about crime or watch too many dramas.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for popularity and your personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that crime dramas provide 'knowledge' or 'protection,' these points are not fully extended or supported with convincing logic. The opinion section is clearer, but the argument that these shows cause people to commit crimes is a significant generalization that lacks nuanced support. To improve, ensure that each main idea is supported by a clear explanation or a more detailed example, rather than just stating the point. The conclusion is a bit repetitive and does not fully synthesize your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly,' 'Secondly,' and 'On the other hand' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'because of that some people are doing crime.' The connection between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each sentence logically follows the previous one without relying on repetitive phrasing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive words like 'things,' 'dramas,' and 'crime.' There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'raising in crime' (should be 'rise in crime') and 'necessary things' (which is vague). To improve, try to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'fictional narratives,' 'criminology,' 'societal impact,' or 'suspenseful storytelling.' Expanding your range of collocations will help you express your ideas with more sophistication and clarity.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Issues include subject-verb agreement, incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing, such as 'some people are denied going out at night' and 'thieves learn the technique how they can get money.' Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of semicolons and commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction and verb tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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